The Simpsons Gets A Home Run With Two More Seasons

It’s already the longest-running scripted show in television history, and now Foxtel is making The Simpsons even longer with the announcement of two more seasons.

The order of a 27th and 28th season will bring The Simpsons legacy up to 625 episodes, one feature film and an Academy Award-nominated theatrical short. It’s been a staple of pop culture for more than 20 years and is arguably one of the most quoted tv shows in the world. It’s also one of the only shows with its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Fox says the show “exploded into a cultural phenomenon in 1990 and has remained one of the most groundbreaking and innovative entertainment franchises, recognizable throughout the world”.

“Currently airing its record-annihilating 26th season, THE SIMPSONS has won 31 Emmy Awards, 31 Annie Awards, a 2015 People’s Choice Award, [and] was the first animated series to win a Peabody Award,” the network says in an announcement about the new season.

As part of its announcement about the “unprecedented” move, Fox also included a statement from Homer Simpson himself:

“I’ve outlasted Letterman, Jon Stewart and ‘McDreamy,’ because I have something they don’t: a costly 200-donut-a-day addiction.”

While The Simpsons’ audience members may come and go over the years, the solid ratings its received over 26 season have no doubt influenced Fox’s decision to commission two more seasons – especially at a time when very few series get more than one season bought at a time.

“…even in its 26th season, the series ranks as one of the Top 10 shows overall on broadcast television,” Fox says.

It’s particularly popular among Men 18-34 and Male Teens, and Fox says it also ranks among the Top 20 in Adults 18-34, Men 18-49 and Men 25-54. There’s around 6 million year-over-year viewers in the US alone, so having two new seasons up their sleeve is great for Fox, the fans and all the talented people involved in bringing Springfield and The Simpsons to life.

Images: A shot from one of the latest couch gag, source: Animation on FOX (YouTube); The Simpsons logo, source: Wikimedia Commons.